Honkers Drop Winnable Game Once Again in 10-7 Loss to Willmar

WILLMAR, Minn. -- The Honkers (7-29) dropped another game in which they: scored first, had a four run lead, beat the Stingers in hits with 19, AND had the bases loaded with no outs in the ninth with the tying run on first, only to commit three straight outs and not score in a 10-7 loss to the Willmar Stingers (19-18).

The Honkers jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead in the top of the second. In the first Kyle Kasser scored when Casey Worden grounded out to first, then in the second, Kasser drove in Jacob Thomas, Turner Buis grounded into a double play that allowed newcomer Josh Davis to score, then Alex Fitchett hit an RBI single to left to score Miles Lewis to make the score 4-0.

After the second, the Honkers didn't score again until the sixth. However, the Stingers did. Multiple times. In five straight innings.

In the second, Danny Mayer lead off the inning for the Stingers with a home run then Kole Cattam hit a double to left allowing Eddie Estrada to score making the game 4-2.

In the third the Stingers added two more to tie on Estrada's two-run double making the game 4-4. In the bottom of the fourth the Stingers took the lead when Quincy McAfee drove in Tyler Smith on a fielder's choice, then the next batter Danny Pardo hit a home run, driving in McAfee, to make the score 7-4.

The Stingers added another in the fifth on Tyler Smith's RBI single to center.

After the Honkers scored one when Jackson Thoreson knocked in Fitchett  and added two more again in the sixth when Mayer hit his second home run of the game when he hit a two-run home run to left making the score 10-5.

The Honkers were able to add two more in the eighth when Thoreson drove in Buis to make it 10-6 and then Drew Ellis drove in Fitchett on a sac fly to left to make the score 10-7.

In the ninth the Honkers had a chance to tie it but fell short. Miles Lewis lead off the inning with a single. Kasser repeated that with an infield single to give the Honkers two on with noone out. Turner Buis then got walked on four pitches to load the bases with no outs. Then Max Green, the Stingers pitcher got corrected, stuck out Fitchett and Worden, then retired Thoreson on a fly out to right to end the game and get his second save of the year.

Robert Paccione (L, 0-2) started for the Honkers going 4.1 innings allowing eight runs on eight hits, walking three and striking out one for the loss. Bayley Chesterton then relieved Paccione and went 1.2 innings allowing two runs on three hits walking two and striking out two. Brett Herber in his first outing with the Honkers went two scoreless innings giving up one hit and one walk.

Jayce Vencena (W, 4-1) was given the win for the Stingers for his five innings of work while giving up four runs, two earned, on 12 hits and two walks, while striking out one.

The Honkers play the Stingers once again tomorrow as they play at 7:05 from Taunton Stadium.